Screw anchor



March 24, 1.931. A` B. CHANCE SCREW ANCHOR Filed Oct. 24, 1927 .2 Sheets-Sheet l March 24, 1931. A B CHANCE 1,797,637

SCREW ANCHOR Filed OCT.. 24, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 24, 1931 UNiTsn STATES ALBERT is. CHANCE, or CENTRALIA, ivrissouar SCREW .ANCI-11013,A

Application filed October 24, 1927. Serial No. "228,463,

l The present invention relates to screw anchors and is more particularly 'concerned with screw anchors ofthe type adapted to be used for securing guy wires for telephone 5 posts or the like.

One of the objects of my invention is the provision of a cast metal screw anchor'of the class described having an improved form of connectionv with an actuating wrench comprising a non-circular socket for the wrench and a plurality of radially projecting lugs adapted to engage theanchor at points more remote from its axis, thereby giving increased leverage for lthe Wrench so that it lwill not turny out of its socket.

Another object of my invention is' the provision of an improved screw anchor and wrench Vof thejclass describedand a novel method of installation of screw anchors and guy rods whereby an anchor may be more firmly driven into the ground or embedded. in more compact subsoil than is possible with the ordinary type of anchor and wrench..

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear more fully from the following .description and from the accompanying drawings inv which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views. l

Referring to the drawings lis an elevational view showing my anchor in the process of installation.

Fig. 2 is a. similar viewshowing the anchor and guy rod embedded in the earth.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the anchor. l

Fig. ltis a partial cross-sectional view of the same von the'line .1 -lof Fig. 3.

"Fim 5 is a vertical cross-sectional View of D Y Vthcanchor and wrench.

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical 4cross-sectional viewjtakenVV onthe line 6 6 of Figure 5. Y Fig. 7 isa bottom plan view of the wrench. Fig, 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 -'oFgti Y. j

Fig. 9 is a se tional view on the line 9 9 of Fig. 5'. Y f

l In thedrawings 10 indicates'in its entirety' my f anchor which comprises a castinetal member having a central core 11 of substan- -tiallreyliedrel Shape terminating, ,in

point 12 lwhich Ymay have the shape lof a j flange V13 is also preferably tapered from the Y outer edge 14 to a greater thickness vas at 16 adjacent the core 11, thereby increasing the strength of the flange in proportion to the distancefrom the outer edge.

The body of the core 11 and flange 13 is preferably formed of cast iron and in order to provide a means of connection to a guy rod 17 which is of greater strength than permitted by the cast iron I prefer to locate a steel member 18 having a hole or bore within the core 11 of the anchor in such manner that the threaded bore 19 of the member is located axially of the anchor and the member 18 is embedded in the metal of the core and secured by engagement therewith above and belowy the member as well as on the plane sides of the member. f l

The member 18 may consist of a blank member and the member and adjacent portions of the bore 21 in the bore 11 may be threaded at the Sametime. The guy rodl'Z is provided with a threaded end 20 which is ladapted to be received in the threaded aperture 19VY of the member 18 vand the core 11 is providedwith an aligned bore 21 extending above and'belo'w the'member 18 tol receive the guyrod 17./vr j l i i Y The core 11, is vprovided at its upper ond witha'non-'circular recess orfsooket 22 `which is adapted to receive acomplementary noncircular end 23 'of a wrench 24. f The socket V22 ispreferably rectangular though it may be made hexagonal. f In the installation of the anchor 10 a relative high torque is transmitted to the anchor 10 by the Wrench 24 through vthe non-circular end 23 and socket 22, and

considerable difficulty has been experienced in this operation due to the fact that the wrench tends'i- 'to" turn outpofth-e socket-,22. f

CTI

without engaging its-threads.

In order to obviate this difiiculty I prefer to provide the socket 22 with a plurality of auxiliary recesses 25 communicating with said socket at the sides thereof and extending into the core 11 to a greater distance from the axis of the anchor. The wrench end 23 is then formed with complementary projecting lugs 26 which fit in the recesses 25 and any number of lugs and auxiliary recesses may be employed.

It will thus be observed that not only do the auxiliary recesses and lugs provide an additional bearing surface through which the wrench may react upon the anchor in the screwingoperation, but the lugs engage the anchor at a greater distance from the yaxis of the sameso that `the lugs have a longer lever arm with lwhich to engage the anchor. T he longer lever arm of the lugs -enables them to exert a greater torque upon the anchor 10 without .destruction of the socket or wrench and this structure .has enabled the installation oil" anchors in places where .ordinary anchors could notl be embedded .due to unusual diiiiculties in embedding them .in the earth.

The wrench end 23 may be provided with a projecting ange 40 adapted to bear against the upper surface vof the anchor core 11 and to aid in fixing the wrench end in a supporting member 27. The wrench which is indicated in its entiretyat 24 comprises a tubular supporting member 27 preferably .of rectangular cross-sectonand adapted to .receive :the square portion 41 yof the wrench end. The wrench ,end 23 maybe securely fastened in the tubular supporting member 27 by a transverse rivet 42 and ,the tubular supporting.,r member may be provided with a plurality .of recesses 43 for .engaging with an adjustable slide 44 carrying va handle 45. The slide 44 comprises a cast metal member having a non-circular aperture 46 adapted to slidably receive the tubular supporting` member 27 of the wrench andalso having a transverse bore 47 for .receiving the tubular handle 45. The tubular handle 45 may be slidably mounted in the bore 47, being-retained therein by stops at each end consisting of transverse rivets48 and the provision of a slidable handleenables ythe use of y.my anchor wrench -in many Jplaces which another handle could not be turned.

rEhe-:slider 44 is also Lprovided `with a socket @formed-.integrally lwith the slider andconr Iniunicat-ing with the nonfcircular -bore 46. 'The :socket .49 -hasacentrall-y located bore 570 of suilicient .size to receive a .threaded bolt 5,1 The threaded bolt 51 is provided with axserrated :knob 52 for convenientmanipulation and v.with ja substanftigally Conical end 5,3 adaptedtojit insthe conical .recesses43- Threaded upon the `bolt 51 4withinthe .socket 49 .is rnoufcreular inut 54 and -thenrQsS1sertiQn` Qi sthersocket 4 9 is preferably made of the same shape as the nut .enga-ge in the recesses 43 of the tubular member 27 if desired but the bolt is preferably so disposed that there is sufficient spring tension to hold the bolt in one of the recesses 43 under ordinary conditions but if desired the slider 44 lmay 'be moved upward or downward without releasing the bolt 51 ,since the conical recesses 43 will cam lthe end 53 of the bolt outward.

It will thus be observed that my handle is provided with a slider which will automatically Vbe yretained in any one of a'plurality oit adjustable positions and which may be ymoved upward to a new adjusted position'by mere application of an axial force after which it will be retainedV in such position for convenient manipulation of the wrench. .p

The anchor and wrench may be held in as. sembled position during the operation .of installing the anchor yby Vmeans of a guy rod 17 which maybe threaded at its upper end 32 for ythe reception of athimble eye 33. The thimble eye 33has the usual grooved aperture 34fto receive the' guy wire and a threaded bore .-35 adapted to be threaded Yonthe end 3,2 of the guy rod. It .will thus be observed that the wrench 24 may beplaced aboutthe guyrod 17 .after which the guy rod may have its loweLl end 20 threaded Vvin lthe member V18V of the anchor. The .thimble eye 33 lmay then be threaded upon the upperend oit' theguy rod, clamping the tubular member2-7 between .the anchor andthe thimble eye and firmly as;

sembling these'parts. The anchor may then be instal-led .in the usual .manner by holding .the .axis .ofthe wrench ,in substantial alinement .with the topof the post forcingthe point 12 into the earth and-turning the anchor by means ofthezllndle .45. The point l2 of the anchor penetrates the earth, wedgingmhe earthapar't whilethe forward edgekl of the helix cuts into the earth definingthe course of the iiange v30 fand ydirecting the anchor through a helical Apath Iinto the earth. The anchor vmay ,thus be screwed .into the earth vafterwhich-the thimble eye may beaemoved and the wrench removed over the upper -end A32-ofgtheguy rod ,17 v.and the thimbleeye may be replaced. The guy wire may then ybe at- .tachedftothe thimble eye 33 inthe .usual-man- )uringfthe .installation .09E l.the @licher the Yhandle .45 be .slid to new position. Qn

the wrench 24 whenever desired, 'being automatically retained by the resilient bolt 5l, thereby providing a handle which is always at a convenient height for manipulation.

It will thus be observed that I have invented a screw anchor which is adapted to withstand greater loads due to the provision of a steel nutembedded within the anchor and that my anchor may be installed in soil under conditions of unusual difficulty due to the provision of the novel form of socket with the projecting lugs at a greater distance from the axis of the anchor.

While I have illustrated and described a specific embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made with out departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what Y I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

In an earth anchor, the combination of a pointed anchor body with a screw flange carried by said body forming a screw anchor, a hardened steel member embedded in said body and provided with a threaded guy rod aperture, said body having a cruciform socket in its upper end, a hollow non-circular driving member for said anchor, an adapter having an upper non-circular shank iitting in said hollow driving member, and having a lower cruciform shank fitting in said socket, said adapter having an axial aperture for passing a guy rod threaded complementarily to said nut, and a transverse securing member passing through said driving member and engaging said adapter.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 11 day of Oct., 1927.

ALBERT B. CHANCE. 

